by G L Roberts
“And yours will be soon.” Heoroth smiled a weak, short-lived smile.
“I speak of the ones at the back of the forest. Why did they have to die when I gave fair warning?” Bryn watched as Kenna and Baendar approached the broch, bows drawn. She sent a quick thought to Meydra, and Meydra dropped down and blocked the entrance to the broch. Her back to the door, the room darkened. Heoroth turned quickly for the door. Bryn hit the wall with her sword. “Stop.”
Heoroth gave a weak moan and fell to his knees. “Do not let it touch me,” he whispered. “I saw what it did to Helstun.”
“Get up. Face me like a man.”
Heoroth held his hand out as if frightened. As Bryn started to reach for it, he swung his ax around.
Her senses heightened, Bryn heard the air move as the ax moved. She lifted her sword, and the ax met the blade and shattered. Heoroth fell back and dropped the ax handle. He rolled out of the way of what he thought would be a sword blow only to bump against Meydra’s back that blocked the door. “No! Odin! Hjelp meg. Drepe dyret.”
“Odin cannot help you. I control the beast, not some useless god.”
Her words had the desired effect as Heoroth scrambled to his feet. He drew a long knife from his belt and stabbed toward Meydra’s tail.
In an instant, Bryn was before the door blocking his aim. Her sword caught his knife as it plunged down. “I warned you.” She pulled back the cloak from her brow, revealing the crown and the jewel. “Jeg er en juvel av tittelfelt! I am the Jewel of legend!”
Heoroth flipped his knife and moved it toward Bryn’s chest. “You are a maid and you will die like any other human.”
The jewel pulsed and stopped Heoroth from moving closer. The jewel changed color. The dark red changed to a blue-white light that lit up the room. Heoroth looked into Bryn’s eyes. “You are not a maid, but a warrior.” He gasped and quickly thrust his knife at Bryn.
Outside, it took less time than any of the others realized. Time had slowed for them while they waited for Meydra to move from the entrance of the broch. Almost as quickly as she set down, Meydra stood up and lifted back into the sky.
Bryn stepped out of the broch, the jewel again hidden under the cloak and Calibairn at home in the scabbard. She walked over to Kenna and Baendar.
“You will find a dead heir to the tribe inside. We need pyres for the dead. How many are still alive?”
“Twenty in the paddock,” Baendar replied. “One escaped into the forest. I am glad we were warned about the rear guard.”
Kenna grinned. “Our dragons are our eyes and ears. If we cannot have them fight, we can have their protection. I like it this way, My Lady.”
“I will get the fire started.” Baendar touched his fist to his chest. He left the two women and went with his men to the paddock area to light the funeral pyre for Heoroth and fifty of his henchmen.
Bryn touched Kenna’s shoulder. “How many did we lose?”
“Twelve. They are being tended to by Baendar’s men.”
Bryn lowered her head for a moment. Twelve lost.
“Gather the rest of the archers and tell them we move out in one hour. The Norsemen on our horses will reach Arryn and Malcolm soon, and I want us to be there waiting. Baendar will bring the prisoners after the pyres are lit. Is there anyone looking for the one who escaped?”
“He is not far,” Meydra called from above. “There is a Reaper keeping him from going anywhere.”
“Kenna, send men out to bring him back. Thank the Reaper for his keen sight.”
I am Prandahl and I am here in service to the Jewel.
Thank you, Prandahl. Allow the Bridei to approach and take the man. Will you follow us?
I will follow you, Athebryn.
Bryn slid off Meydra’s neck as she set down outside of Aldourie. She ran her hand over Meydra’s scales and stopped at Meydra’s cheek. “Is An Yun in position?”
“Yes. Bryn, why do you not call to the other dragons? They will answer you.”
“I hear all their voices, but I must have a way to close them out and concentrate.”
“Meriel wishes to join An Yun where she can aid the humans and the elves.”
“I thought you were going to keep her away from this.” Bryn stopped to look into Meydra’s eyes. “Is she old enough to defend herself?”
I am old enough to protect, came Meriel’s reply.
Whom do you protect?
The joy of your heart. If she is safe, so are you. Do not worry. My mother tells me I am not to interfere, only protect.
Bryn touched the jewel at Meydra’s forehead. “Our little one is growing fast.”
Bryn found Arryn and Malcolm among the rocks that lined the narrowing river. She heard them discussing the Norsemen.
“Do you expect their leader to be with them?” Malcolm asked.
“By now, he will have heard of Hygid’s death,” Bryn said as she leaned back against a rock. “But he will not show himself until he finds out about Heoroth. You have the horses?”
“We have the horses, but only five men. The other four chose to fight.” Arryn held out a water bag to Bryn.
Bryn pushed back her hood and accepted the water. She took a long pull of the cool liquid. “Twenty travel with the Bridei, but Heardred will not bargain.”
“You plan to wait?” Malcolm asked.
“It will depend on what our scouts tell us. Heardred will have expected a trap for Heoroth, which is of course true. He will expect Heoroth to be killed. That too is true, but unfortunate. I did want Heoroth to go back to Heardred and report to him about the jewel.”
“You revealed it to him?” Malcolm asked.
“It was necessary to perpetuate the myth of the jewel if only to get Heardred to understand it was not something he could possess.”
Arryn accepted the bag back from Bryn. “And now you have to do that all over again with Heardred. Do you expect him to journey here once he knows of Heoroth’s death?”
“No. We will need to take this to him, and he will have no escape but to the sea. My concern is on which village Heardred will take out his revenge. KirkHill or WestHill? Have you moved the troops?”
Arryn nodded. “Those behind you at Lochend are already moving to WestHill. Kenna has taken Caraid and she awaits Baendar and his horsemen. They will be there tomorrow morning.”
“We have already started moving half the troops from here to KirkHill,” Malcolm said. “IronHeart will take me there as soon as you give the word.”
“All we can do now is wait for Heardred’s move. Where is he now?”
“He sits with his back to the sea,” Meydra said from behind Bryn. “My Lady, a small group has been seen moving toward both villages. There is a second group moving to the southern village.”
“What are their numbers?”
“Thirty move to KirkHill. Twenty to WestHill.”
“And the second group?” Arryn asked.
“Four. They are moving slowly in and out of the rocks and trees.”
Malcolm frowned. “That’s odd. Why such a small group? A scouting party perhaps? Is Heardred with them?”
“No. That one remains at the sea,” Meydra replied.
I have seen both groups, Meydra said to Bryn’s heart. The group of four are heavily armed.
The dragons are ready for this. Their eyes will keep us informed, Bryn replied.
“Has word been sent to Rythale?” Malcolm asked.
“Yes, and word has been sent to Thalynder and Teela,” Meydra told him.
“The dead count is one hundred,” Arryn said. “With thirty moving to KirkHill and twenty to WestHill, and not including the twenty that march with the Bridei, Heardred sits at the sea with sixty or more.”
Malcolm rubbed his chin and chuckled. “Only sixty axes await us?”
Bryn smiled at Malcolm. “Feeling aggressive, Malcolm? Yes, only sixty. Keep the archers and the horsemen hidden. Thalynder has the Royal Guard on foot at WestHill. They are the secrets we reveal only if n
ecessary. Malcolm, it is time for you to join your father at KirkHill. Deal with the enemy and do not let them destroy the village. When you have secured the village, ride to where Heardred’s boats wait at the sea. I will be there.” Bryn turned to Arryn. “I have yet to thank you for dispatching Hygid.”
“That one was a stubborn man. Even with the fingers removed from his hand he was clutching at his ax.”
“A rider approaches the narrows,” IronHeart called to Bryn and Malcolm.
Bryn grabbed the reins of her horse. “Tell your captains to move east. We go to Heardred. Push them all to the sea.”
Arryn already mounted, took the trail toward Heardred and the sea, while Bryn led the Bridei to the camp at the loch. The word from IronHeart and Malcolm at KirkHill was good. Twenty-two of the Norsemen fought and died and eight surrendered to King Heli and King Edmund’s armies. The elves had aided the royals with their archers and neither kingdom suffered loss of life. Bryn had asked Meydra for news of the other villages but at that moment, the battles were turning in favor of Bryn’s armies. Nothing to indicate that anything was wrong.
The small group at the loch did not resist. Bryn walked her horse over to a headless man on the ground. She spoke to one of the other Norsemen. “This was not done by one of my people. Who killed this man?”
The Norseman was silent.
Bryn studied the Norseman on the ground. “This is something a madman would do to the bearer of ill news.” She glanced at the Norseman standing in front of her. “What did this man tell your king?”
The Norseman just stared at Bryn. She tried again in his language. “Hva gjorde denne mann Si til kongen?”
“Han fortalte kongen at hans datter Hansa til venstre for å finne dyr,” the man replied.
“Where was the daughter going to find the beast?” Bryn asked.
“I vest,” the man stammered. “To the west.”
Bryn got off her horse and called Meydra. Meydra dropped from the sky and the Norsemen cowered on the ground. They hid their faces and covered their heads. Bryn jumped on Meydra’s back and called over to Kenna. “Get these men bound and move toward the sea. Arryn follows Heardred. I am going to WestHill.”
Thalynder stood outside the broch and looked toward the west. Bryn will be moving to the narrows, she thought. Above her, An Yun and Meriel sat perched on a rock outcropping. Thalynder smiled up at An Yun and felt a momentary warmth to her skin. “I wish we could speak to each other,” Thalynder whispered.
An Yun swished her tail.
Thalynder rubbed her hands over the hem of her tunic. Her bodice bore her family crest and though it was not widely seen in the northlands, it was known to the Norsemen.
Thalynder glanced at Teela. The Lady Albistan had sent Teela to be her clann’s representative to the council, but Thalynder was not well acquainted with the Lady Albistan. She swallowed and raised her chin a little.
“We do not know much about Erui,” Thalynder started. “Perhaps someday I will see your island.”
“I did not think I would ever see Alban,” Teela said and walked over to Thalynder. “For the longest time I believed that I was the only dragon rider in the world. My dragon never spoke to me. I heard nothing of the Jewel or other dragons until Lady Albistan had seen Lady Athebryn after the joining. Only then was I told the legend and how my life was now tied to Lady Athebryn.”
“You were not aware of the legend until just before you joined us?”
“I only had to be told it once to understand I was meant for this council. I have dreamt of this all my life. I believe we of the council were preordained to follow this path.”
“Destiny. Yes. I’m beginning to think the same thing. Come, we should eat and rest a little. Tomorrow will be a very busy day.”
Chapter Twelve
Hansa did not sleep as images of a winged beast filled her mind. Larger than any bird, the man had claimed. Fierce. Bloodthirsty. Hansa could not stop the images or the thoughts those images evoked. If I could capture the beast, she thought, I could wield a great power. Greater than my father. Greater than his father or any of the other ancestors. I would earn my place among those at the great hall in Valhalla. Hansa stood up away from the tree she had been sitting against. She lifted her ax and wiped its edge with her cloak. “Soon,” she whispered. “Soon you will taste their blood.” She walked out away from the trees and gazed above. For a brief moment, she thought she saw a shadow cross the sky and obscure the stars.
The village is quiet, An Yun said.
The enemy will approach before dawn, Bryn replied. There is a small group coming ahead of the others. They may try to enter the village and wait for reinforcements.
Our eyes are on the village, Meriel said.
Hansa and the three men crept closer to the quiet village. She held up her hand and they stopped. She motioned toward the brushy undergrowth and led the others deep into the thicket. She pressed forward until she could see a group of men standing together at a small fire. There were more than she expected, so she decided to wait until the other twenty of the raiding party arrived from the north. She motioned to the others to sit and wait.
Hansa moved a little forward and continued to scout the area. As she glanced toward the darkened hills to the north, she saw a large shape sitting on an outcropping. The beast, she thought. I have found the beast. Hansa’s heart beat hard in her chest. One of the royals must be near, she thought. The beast must be at the command of the leader. Hansa moved forward another ten yards and got close enough to hear some of the talk among those gathered at the fire. If she struck now, she would be found out and that would stop her plan. So, she sat in the dark and waited, trying to make out the words being spoken.
The men began to move. As they dispersed, two men remained at the fire. After a few moments, the taller of the two bowed slightly before the other. The other nodded and turned back to the fire. Hansa instantly recognized the other was royal born when the firelight caught the purple and gold thread of a royal crest on his tunic. That will be my prey, Hansa decided. I will follow that one.
Thalynder stood by the fire. She removed her sword and wiped the edge with the hem of her tunic. She touched the crest on her bodice that covered her armor. She replaced the sword and looked up toward the outcropping. “Can you hear my thoughts?” she whispered. “Is my Bryn safe?”
“Meydra, where is the smaller group?” Bryn asked.
“I do not see them.”
Bryn frowned. She patted Meydra’s head. “Swiftly now. The sun rises.”
Meydra set down in the center of WestHill just as the sun climbed above the horizon. Bryn slid off her back quickly and ran to the broch that served as a center tower for the small village. Meydra lifted high and circled the area. She would continue to circle until she was called.
Bryn went into the broch and up the stairs to the top. King Thamen was there with one of his captains. Bryn nodded, and the king dismissed the man.
“The two stepsons are dead,” Bryn reported. “There is a group of twenty heading here but Heardred is not among them.”
“Where is he?”
“He is on horseback heading for the loch. He will be turned back there and will be pushed back to the sea. Arryn and his men will force him back. Once we finish here, we will meet up with Arryn and the others at the mouth of Inbhir Nis.”
“My daughter is with the archers on the hill. Do you still plan to allow some of these Norsemen to live?”
“I give each one the choice to live or die. Bryn shook her head. “They do not believe we would truly let them live. They all choose death.”
“They are unaware that the inhabitants of Alban have claws.”
“Why did we wait so long to brandish those claws? Many lives could have been spared if we had only united long before now.”
“As with everything in this world, Lady Athebryn, time and circumstance dictate our actions. The bear cub does not venture out in the winter. We have had a very long winter and we are just now
beginning to wake from our slumber.
“Even after years of raids on our shores, we were still afraid to ask our neighbors for help. We feared the Picts. We feared the Elves. We misunderstood the Druids. And we never understood the meaning of myth and legend. You have only just now breathed life into a legend. The newness is heady and exciting. For now Alban can unite and fight off the Norsemen. It will not always be this way.”
“You are telling me to fight now because we can. We could not before, and we may not later.” She sighed deeply. She heard FireSong’s call from the loch. “Heardred has reached the loch. It’s up to Arryn now.”
As Bryn spoke, the sound of steel on steel was heard in the woods. There were shouts coming toward the village. Bryn called to Meydra and ran down to the bottom of the tower. She leapt onto Meydra’s back, and Meydra lifted into the air. Below her, she saw King Thamen disappear down the hatch of the broch.
“Quickly now,” Bryn called. “To the sea!”
Hansa watched the men in the village engage in battle. The archers, though armed and ready, remained on the hill with the royal. “You will be mine,” Hansa whispered. She started to move toward the archers, stopping now and again when the archers would loose their arrows at the battle. Hansa inched closer to the royal.
Thalynder heard the shouts and started issuing orders for the archers. Teela was on the other side of the archers commanding those nearest her to fire just after Thalynder gave her command. This kept the sky full of arrows and gave the advantage to King Thamen and his Guard. Thalynder watched from her position on the hill and had seen Bryn take to Meydra and Meydra fly east. “Stay safe,” she called after them.
Hansa moved her men to approach the archers from behind. She had but a moment’s chance to take the royal. The royal and the archers remained concentrated on the battle below them in the village, loosing their arrows and sending many of Hansa’s kin to Valhalla. She saw the few that remained standing and realized her people would lose this battle. She crept silently out of the brush on the hill and drew a small knife from her belt. She walked up behind the Royal and realized the one she stalked was not a man, but a woman. She grabbed the woman’s braid and yanked back hard, swinging her knife around to catch the royal off guard.